What Is Your Theme?

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BIBLE READING: Phil 1: 15 - 19 15 It's true that some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry. But others preach about Christ with pure motives. 16 They preach because they love me, for they know I have been appointed to defend the Good News. 17 Those others do not have pure motives as they preach about Christ. They preach with selfish ambition, not sincerely, intending to make my chains more painful to me. 18 But that doesn't matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice. 19 For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance.

BLOG:  I want you to think about the last five days.  What has been the overall theme?  Sad?  Happy?  Frustrating?  Now think about the last couple of weeks?  Same answer?  Most likely - Yes.  Our mood or emotions tend to run in waves.  In other words, we're not ecstatic one day and depressed the next.

There are a lot of things that people do to keep their emotions in check.
- They repress them.  If they don't express themselves, then they don't exist.  Problem is emotions manifest themselves in our hearts first long before we externalize them.
- They overuse them.  Anger is a big one.  But some people find a few emotions that work for them and they try to control their world with them. That's manipulative.
- They don't care.  Whatever happens, happens.  They say or do whatever is on their mind and heart.  Sometimes its all good.  Sometimes you have to run for cover.  You never know what is going to happen.  Dangerous.

But let me focus on one that wreaks havoc in a lot of lives - fear.

Psalm 56:3 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.

Fear is designed to stop you from doing the right thing or lead you to do something altogether different.  (Thus, pointing you in the wrong direction for your life.)  It will freeze you up or cause you to run away.  Either way, it's not right for you or your life.  So what can you do?

Believe in God.  Without faith, you cannot conquer fear.  Remember, God is not fearful about your current situation.  You don't have to be either.

Believe that God equipped you with the ability to conquer fear.  If God doesn't want you to live in fear, then He has to provide a way through it.

Believe that you have a purpose, and fear keeps you from enjoying it.  If God has given you a dream to fulfill for Him, then know that Satan will try to steal that away from you. Don't let it happen!

PRAY:  Dear Jesus, don't let me be afraid today.  AMEN

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